Basic Vocab
The branch of science that deals with the earth's physical structure and substance, its history, and the processes that act on it.
What is Geology?
This is the layer of the Earth the plates float upon
What is the lithosphere?
Type of rock that is formed when magma cools and solidifies.
What is an igneous rock?
This metal is often "mined" by dehydrating brine
What is lithium?
The process in which a deceased organism is preserved over time instead of decaying
What is fossilization?
A mass that is made of a mixture of one or more minerals; any naturally occurring solid mass or aggregate of minerals or mineraloid matter.
What is a rock?
This is the seismically active area surrounding the Pacific Ocean
What is the Ring of Fire?
Type of rock that is formed from layering of settled debris over time.
What is a sedimentary rock?
This sedimentary rock is mined for energy use
What is coal?
When multiple species die off around the same time
What is mass extinction or extinction event?
A naturally-occurring solid substance with distinctive chemical and physical properties, composition, and atomic structure; makes rocks.
What is a mineral?
This geologic formation can occur when two plates are moving away from each other or sliding past each other
What is a fault or fissure?
Type of rock that is formed when other rocks are exposed to heat and pressure (solid state change).
What is a metamorphic rock?
The study of earthquakes
What is seismology?
Name two locations in Tennessee where fossils can easily be found
Gray Fossil Site
Cumberland Plateau
Harpeth River
Cumberland Caverns
and more!
Igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic.
What are the 3 types of rocks?
These tallest mountains in the world continue to grow as the tectonic plates beneath them continue to push together.
What are the Himalayan Mountains?
Two types of igneous rock. One is formed on Earth's surface, the other is formed below Earth's surface.
What are extrusive and intrusive rocks?
Long cylindric samples drilled from soil or ice used to study ancient environments
What are core samples?
Name three fossils that can be found in Tennessee
Crinoids, trilobites, corals, turtles, deer, bear, rhino, camelot and more
The theory that the geologic forces at work today have always been at work shaping the landscape.
What is uniformitarianism?
The name of the currents in the liquid outer core thought to be responsible for the movement of tectonic plates.
What are convection currents?
Two types of metamorphic rocks. One is layered and the other is not layered.
What are foliated and non-foliated rocks?
This deepest place on earth is the result of subduction of the Pacific Plate beneath another tectonic plate
What is the Mariana Trench?
Fossils from the Gray Fossil Site are commonly how old?
What is 5 million years?